U.S. patent application number 10/113552 was filed with the patent office on 2003-10-02 for fiber-flexure-substrate production tray.
Invention is credited to Epitaux, Marc, Fukui, Ken, Gurusamy, Jayakumar.
Application Number | 20030185538 10/113552 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 28453632 |
Filed Date | 2003-10-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030185538 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gurusamy, Jayakumar ; et
al. |
October 2, 2003 |
Fiber-flexure-substrate production tray
Abstract
A fiber-flexure-substrate tray for transporting and protecting
optical modules and optical module components. The fiber-flexture
substrate tray may have a tray body for supporting an optical fiber
and other components coupled to the optical fiber while the optical
fiber and the other components are processed. In addition, the
fiber-flexure-substrate tray may have a thermally conductive
substrate holder coupled to the tray body for heat-treating other
components coupled to the optical fiber. The tray body may have a
support area designed to hold the optical fiber off of the
thermally conductive substrate holder to thermally isolate the
optical fiber. In addition, a component may be coupled to the tray
to hold the optical fiber off of the thermally conductive substrate
holder.
Inventors: |
Gurusamy, Jayakumar;
(Newark, CA) ; Epitaux, Marc; (Sunnyvale, CA)
; Fukui, Ken; (Saratoga, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BLAKELY SOKOLOFF TAYLOR & ZAFMAN
12400 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, SEVENTH FLOOR
LOS ANGELES
CA
90025
US
|
Family ID: |
28453632 |
Appl. No.: |
10/113552 |
Filed: |
March 29, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
385/135 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B 6/4249 20130101;
G02B 6/3616 20130101; G02B 6/3636 20130101; G02B 6/4201
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
385/135 |
International
Class: |
G02B 006/00 |
Claims
We claim
1. An apparatus comprising: a tray body to support an optical fiber
when coupled to said optical fiber; a thermally conductive
substrate holder coupled to said tray body to support a substrate
coupled to said optical fiber; and a support area on said tray body
to insulate said optical fiber from said thermally conductive
substrate holder.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said substrate holder extends
through a top and a bottom of said tray body.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said substrate holder is to
pivot relative to said tray body
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tray body has a groove to
support said optical fiber.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a substrate cover
coupled to said thermally conductive substrate holder.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said substrate holder includes
a hole to open said substrate cover when a pin is subsequently
inserted through said hole.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said substrate holder includes
stainless steel.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tray body includes a high
temperature plastic.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tray body includes at
least one aligning hole to align said tray body with a processing
station.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a press-fit pin
coupled to said tray body to keep said tray body substantially
level at a processing station.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a side slot on said
substrate holder for access to a side of said substrate in said
substrate holder.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tray body includes an
inset to hold a fiber clamp.
13. An apparatus comprising: a tray body to support an optical
fiber; a thermally conductive substrate holder coupled to said tray
body to support a substrate coupled to said optical fiber; and a
component coupled to said tray body to insulate said optical fiber
from said thermally conductive substrate holder.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said substrate holder is to
pivot relative to said tray body.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said component includes high
temperature plastic.
16. A method comprising: placing a fiber assembly onto a tray body;
placing a substrate coupled to said fiber assembly onto a thermally
conductive substrate holder coupled to said tray body; thermally
isolating an optical fiber coupled to said fiber assembly from said
thermally conductive substrate holder coupled to said tray body;
and heating said thermally conductive substrate holder coupled to
said tray body.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising aligning said
thermally conductive substrate holder to a processing station by
pivoting said thermally conductive substrate holder relative to
said processing station.
18. The method of claim 16 further comprising stacking said tray
body on another tray body.
19. A method comprising: moving a tray body to a processing
station; aligning said tray body to said processing station;
pivotally aligning a substrate holder, coupled to said tray body,
to a heating apparatus on said processing station; and
heat-treating a substrate coupled to said substrate holder.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein heat-treating further comprises
insulating an optical fiber from said substrate holder.
21. The method of claim 19 wherein pivotally aligning said
substrate holder to said heating apparatus further comprises using
a press-fit pin to align said tray body.
22. The method of claim 19 further comprising stacking said tray
body on another tray body.
23. The method of claim 19 wherein aligning said tray body to said
processing station further comprises using at least one aligning
hole in said tray body.
24. A system comprising: an optical fiber; a tray body to support
said optical fiber; and a thermally conductive substrate holder
coupled to said tray body to support a substrate coupled to said
optical fiber.
25. The system of claim 24 further comprising a component coupled
to said tray body to insulate said optical fiber from said
thermally conductive substrate holder.
26. The system of claim 24 further comprising a support area on
said tray body to insulate said optical fiber from said thermally
conductive substrate holder.
27. The system of claim 24 further comprising a label coupled to
said tray body to identify said optical fiber.
28. The system of claim 24 further comprising a label coupled to
said tray body to identify said tray body.
29. The system of claim 24 further comprising a fiber clamp coupled
to said optical fiber and supported in said tray body.
30. The system of claim 24 further comprising a substrate coupled
to said optical fiber.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] An embodiment of the invention relates to optical module
production. In particular, an embodiment of the invention relates
to a production tray for substrates and optical fibers.
BACKGROUND OF THE RELATED ART
[0002] Optical modules, such as but not limited to transmitters and
receivers, comprised of substrates and optical fibers are used in
many applications including but not limited to data routers. When
making optical modules, an optical fiber coupled to a flexure may
be aligned and welded to a substrate having a diode. Typically, a
fiber clamp is coupled to the optical fiber when moving the optical
fiber and flexure into a welding station. The optical fiber and
flexure are then released from the fiber clamp to be manipulated by
a device holding the flexure. The optical fiber and flexure are
then aligned to a substrate and then the flexure may be welded to
the substrate.
[0003] Following alignment, the substrate, flexure, and optical
fiber may be carried to a heat-treating station to relieve stresses
in the weld between the substrate and flexure. The optical fibers
need to be carried individually between processing stations and
individually aligned to each processing station. However,
individually carrying and aligning each optical fiber is expensive
and time consuming.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] The present invention is illustrated by way of example and
not limitation in the accompanying figures:
[0005] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the invention of the
fiber-flexure-substrate tray.
[0006] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the invention with a lip on a
tray body for insulating an optical fiber.
[0007] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention with a component
on a tray body for insulating an optical fiber.
[0008] FIG. 4 shows a cut-out of an embodiment of the invention
with a fiber clamp on a tray body.
[0009] FIG. 5 shows a reverse view of an embodiment of the
invention of the fiber-flexure-substrate tray.
[0010] FIG. 6 shows a side view of an embodiment of the invention
of the fiber-flexure-substrate tray.
[0011] FIG. 7 shows a side view of an embodiment of the invention
pivoting to align with a flat surface.
[0012] FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the invention of the
fiber-flexure-substrate tray without a fiber clamp.
[0013] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of the invention in the form of a
flowchart for heat-treating a fiber assembly.
[0014] FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of the invention in the form of
a flowchart for heat-treating substrates coupled to optical
fibers.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] In the following description, numerous specific details are
set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the
invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other
instances, well-known details, such as particular materials or
methods, have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the
understanding of this description.
[0016] Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the invention in the
form of a fiber-flexure-substrate tray is shown. The
fiber-flexure-substrate tray may have three main structures. First,
a tray body 101 for supporting optical fibers, such as but not
limited to optical fibers 113 and 114. Second, a thermally
conductive substrate holder 105 for supporting substrates, such as
substrate 110, coupled to the optical fibers 113 and 114. Third, a
support area 218, as seen in FIG. 2, or component 320, as seen in
FIG. 3, on the tray body 101 for thermally insulating the optical
fibers 113 and 114 from the thermally conductive substrate holder
105.
[0017] Referring to FIG. 1, first, the fiber-flexure-substrate tray
may have a tray body 101. The tray body 101 may have groove 115 for
supporting the length of an optical fiber such as optical fibers
113 and 114. The tray body 101 may be made of a high temperature
material including but not limited to a high temperature plastic
such as UDEL Polysulfone.RTM.. Any material that will not
substantially deform when exposed to heat from various processing
stations may be used. For example, in one embodiment of the
invention, a heat-treating temperature of at least 150.degree.
Celsius may be used to heat-treat a weld between a substrate 110
and a flexure 112 on the tray body 101 in one of the processing
steps. The tray body 101 may be made from a material able to
withstand 150.degree. C., using any of several manufacturing
processes including but not limited to, molding and injection
die.
[0018] The tray body 101 may also have several other features
useful for supporting and processing optical fibers 113 and 114.
For example, inset 131 may be aligned with groove 115 to support a
fiber clamp 117. The fiber clamp 117 may be coupled to the optical
fiber such as optical fibers 113 and 114. The fiber clamp 117 may
allow the optical fiber 113 to be handled without being pinched.
The tray body 101 may have additional insets 133. To aid in
alignment with a processing station, the tray body 101 may also
have aligning holes 127 and 129 extending through the tray body
101. Other embodiments of the invention may not have aligning holes
127 and 129. In addition, other embodiments of invention may have
additional aligning holes. The aligning holes 127 and 129 may be
round. In addition, an aligning hole, such as aligning hole 127,
may be oblong in at least one direction for alignment with a
processing station.
[0019] The tray body 101 may also have side handle grooves 103 for
gripping while the tray body 101 is being moved. A tray label 125
may be coupled to the tray body 101 to identify the entire tray
body 101 and a fiber identification label 123 coupled to the tray
body 101 for identifying each fiber-flexure-substrate on the tray
body 101. In one embodiment, the long fiber identification label
123 may have individual identifications aligned with each optical
fiber, such as optical fiber 113 and 114, on the tray body 101 to
identify or give specific information related to each optical
fibers 113 and 114. In another embodiment, a separate short label
123 may be used for each optical fiber 113 and 114 on the tray body
101. The tray label 125 may identify or give specific information
related to all of the optical fibers, such as optical fibers 113
and 114 on the tray body 101. The tray body 101 may also have
raised portions 119 and depressed portions 121 to aid in stacking
with other tray bodies.
[0020] Second, the fiber-flexure-substrate tray may have a
thermally conductive substrate holder 105 for supporting
substrates, such as substrate 110. The thermally conductive
substrate holder 105 may support the substrates 110 while
transporting the substrates 110 and optical fibers 113 and 114 and
while heating the substrates 110. In one embodiment of the
invention, the substrate 110 coupled to the optical fiber, such as
optical fibers 113 and 114, may be a silicon-based substrate with
optical and electronic circuits for use in an optical module
receiver or transmitter. Other substrates 110 are also within the
scope of the invention. The thermally conductive substrate holder
105 may extend through the top and bottom of the tray body 101 to
allow the substrate holder 105 to be heated from a heat source
below the tray body 101. In addition, the substrate holder 105 may
be a material that will not substantially deform at the
temperatures used in the processing. The substrate holder material
may be thermally conductive. For example, the substrate holder 105
may be made of stainless steel, aluminum, or copper. Other
materials for the substrate holder 105 may also be within the scope
of the invention.
[0021] The thermally conductive substrate holder 105 may have
several other features useful for supporting and processing
substrates, such as substrate 110, coupled to optical fibers 113
and 114. A shoulder screw 135 may be used to couple the substrate
holder 105 to the tray body 101. The shoulder screw 135 may allow
the substrate holder 105 to pivot relative to the tray body 101. In
addition, a substrate holder cover 107 may also be coupled to the
substrate holder 105 by, but not limited to, a hinge (not shown). A
substrate holder cover 107 and shoulder screw 135 may also be made
of a high temperature resistant material such as but not limited to
stainless steel. In one embodiment of the invention, the substrate
holder 105 may also have a hole 106 to allow a pin 108 from a
processing station to extend through the substrate holder 105 and
open the substrate holder cover 107 when needed. The substrate
holder 105 may also have substrate insets 109 for supporting
substrate 110. The substrate insets 109 may have side slots 111 for
access to a side of the substrate to aid in retrieving and placing
the substrate 110 in the substrate holder 105.
[0022] Third, the fiber-flexure-substrate tray may have a support
area 218, seen in FIG. 2, or a component 320, seen in FIG. 3.
Referring to FIG. 2, a support area 218 on the tray body 101 may
insulate an optical fiber 114 from the thermally conductive
substrate holder 105. For example, the support area 118 may be a
part of the tray body 101 that holds the optical fibers, such as
optical fibers 113 and 114 above the substrate holder 105. Other
extensions of the tray body 101 for support areas 118 are also
within the scope of the invention. Referring to FIG. 3 a component
320 may be coupled to said tray body to insulate an optical fiber
114 from the thermally conductive substrate holder 105. The
component 320 may be a shape, such as but not limited to a prism,
that may hold the optical fiber, such as optical fiber 114, above
the thermally conductive substrate holder 105. The component 320
may be a material, such as but not limited to a high temperature
plastic that may insulate the optical fiber, such as optical fiber
114, from the thermally conductive substrate holder 105. For
example, in one embodiment of the invention, the component 320 may
be made of UDEL Polysulfone.RTM..
[0023] Referring to FIG. 1, during a processing run, the optical
fiber 114 may first have a flexure 112 coupled to its end without a
substrate 110. The optical fiber 114 may be supported by the groove
116 in the tray body 101 as it is transported to a processing
station to couple a substrate 110 to the flexure 112. A fiber
clamp, similar to fiber clamp 117 (shown also in FIG. 4), may be
coupled to the optical fiber 114 so that the optical fiber 114 may
be handled without damaging the optical fiber 114. If the optical
fiber 114 is handled directly, it may be scratched or pinched by
processing equipment. A tray body 101 may hold any number of
optical fiber 114/flexure 112 assemblies. The embodiment of the
invention shown in FIG. 1 may support eight optical fiber/flexure
assemblies.
[0024] After loading the optical fiber 114/flexure 112 assembly
onto the tray body 101, the tray body 101 may be moved directly to
a processing station for coupling a substrate 110 to the flexure
112 or may be stacked on other tray bodies using the raised
portions 119 and depressed portions 121. While four raised portions
119 and four corresponding depressed portions 121 are shown on the
embodiment of the invention in FIG. 1, any number of raised
portions 119 and depressed portions 121, or their equivalents, may
be used. The raised portions 119 and depressed portions 121 may
also be used to hold the tray body 101 in place on a processing
station. Typically, the raised portions 119 from a lower tray body
101 or processing station will fit into depressed portions 121 for
a fit while stacking. While the raised portions 119 and depressed
portions 121 are shown in a rounded triangular shape, other shapes
may also be within the scope of the invention. Other ways of
stacking tray bodies 101 including but not limited to ball/slot
stacking and ridge/lip stacking may also be within the scope of the
invention.
[0025] After coupling the substrate 110 to the optical fiber 114,
the optical fiber 114/substrate 110 assembly may be returned to the
tray body 101. The substrate 110 may be coupled to the substrate
inlet 109 on the substrate holder 105. The substrate 110 may be
coupled to the substrate inlet 109 by being placed inside the
substrate inlet 109. The side slots 111 in the substrate inlet 109
may make it easier to place the substrate 110 into the substrate
inlet 109 by allowing access to the sides of the substrate 110
while the substrate 110 is in the substrate inlet 109. After
placing the optical fiber/substrate assemblies onto the tray body
101, the substrate holder cover 107 may be shut over the substrates
in the substrate holder 105. The substrate holder cover 107 may
keep the substrate 110 from coming out of the substrate inlet 109
while the tray body 101 is transported to the next processing
station.
[0026] After the substrate 110 is coupled to the optical fiber 114
through flexure 112, the weld between the substrate 110 and the
flexure 112 may need to be heat-treated to relieve stress which
could lead to early fatigue and cracking in the weld. In another
embodiment of the invention, the substrate 110 and the optical
fiber 114 may be coupled without a weld. The tray body 101 may be
placed onto the heat-treating station with the substrate holder 105
in thermal contact with a heat source. The heat source may be a hot
plate that has a flat contact region for the bottom of substrate
holder 105. In another embodiment of the invention, the heat source
may be an oven to heat the substrate holder 105 part of the tray
body 101 while the rest of the tray body 101 remains outside the
oven. The aligning holes 127 and 129 may be used in conjunction
with components on the heat-treating station to align the tray body
101 with the heat source. The shoulder screw 135 may allow the
substrate holder 105 to pivot slightly to allow for a better
thermal connection between the substrate holder 105 and the heat
source. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, the
shoulder screw 135 may allow the substrate holder 105 to pivot plus
or minus two degrees. The optical fiber 114 may be insulated from
the heat source by preventing contact between it and the substrate
holder 105. For example, a component 320, as shown in FIG. 3,
coupled to the tray body 101 may prevent contact between the
optical fiber 114 and the heat source. Referring to FIG. 2, in
another embodiment of the invention, the tray body 101 is extended
at the end of the groove 116 to form a lip 218 to hold the optical
fiber 114 above the surface of the substrate holder 105 to prevent
thermal contact.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 5, a reverse view of an embodiment of the
invention of a fiber-flexure-substrate tray is shown. The bottom of
a substrate holder 105 is shown extending through the bottom of a
tray body 101. Label holes 501 and 503 may be near aligning holes
127 and 129, and may be used to remove a fiber identification label
123 (shown in FIG. 1). Press fit pin 505 may be coupled to the
bottom of the tray body 101 or may be a part of tray body 101.
Press fit pin 505 may be used to aid alignment of the tray body 101
and substrate holder 105 with an heat-treating station. The press
fit pin 505 may keep the tray body 101 substantially level at a
processing station while the bottom of the substrate holder 105 is
in contact with a heat source. Depressed portions 121 in the bottom
of tray body 101 may be used in stacking or holding the tray body
101.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 6, a side view of an embodiment of the
invention of the fiber-flexure-substrate tray is shown. Press fit
pin 505 may extend from the bottom of tray body 101 approximately
the distance the bottom of the substrate holder 105 extends from
the bottom of the tray body 101 to aid in aligning the tray body
101 and substrate holder 105 with a heat-treating station. A
shoulder pin 135 may couple the substrate holder 105 to the tray
body 101 and allow the substrate holder 105 to pivot to aid in
alignment with an heat-treating station. Substrate cover 107 may be
coupled to substrate holder 105 by a hinge (not shown) to allow it
to open and close easily. Raised portions 119 and depressed
portions 121 may be used to stack or hold the tray body 101. Side
handle groove 103 may be used to grip the tray body 101 while
transporting the tray body 101.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 7, a side view of an embodiment of the
invention of the fiber-flexure-substrate tray is shown pivoting to
align with a flat surface 701. The flat surface 701 may be a
heating apparatus such as but not limited to a hot plate. Other
types of flat surfaces 701 are also within the scope of the
invention. The thermally conductive substrate holder 105 may pivot
relative to the tray body 101 and flat surface 701 by a shoulder
screw 135. Other screws and joints may also be within the scope of
the invention.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 8, an embodiment of the invention of a
fiber-flexure-substrate tray is shown without a fiber clamp.
Optical fiber 114 and substrate 110 may be returned to a tray body
101 after the substrate 110 is aligned and coupled to the optical
fiber 114 through a flexure 112 coupled to the end of the optical
fiber 114. In one embodiment of the invention, the fiber clamp may
not be returned with the optical fiber 114 and substrate 110. In
another embodiment of the invention, the fiber clamp may be
returned to the tray body 101 and placed into additional inlet
133.
[0031] Referring to FIG. 9, an embodiment of the invention in the
form of a flowchart for heating fiber assemblies is shown. A fiber
assembly may be an optical fiber coupled to a flexure that is
coupled to a substrate. Other fiber assemblies may also be within
the scope of the invention. At block 901, a fiber assembly may be
placed on a tray body. At block 903, a substrate coupled to the
fiber assembly may be placed onto a thermally conductive substrate
holder coupled to the tray body. At block 905, the optical fiber
coupled to the fiber assembly may be thermally isolated from the
thermally conductive substrate holder coupled to the tray body. The
thermally conductive substrate holder coupled to the tray body may
be aligned with the processing station by pivoting the thermally
conductive substrate holder relative to the processing station. At
block 907, the thermally conductive substrate holder coupled to the
tray body may be heated. In addition, at a processing station, or
between processing steps, the tray body may be stacked on another
tray body.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 10, an embodiment of the invention in the
form of a flowchart for heat-treating substrates coupled to optical
fibers is shown. At block 1001, a tray body may be moved to a
processing station. While waiting to be processed, the tray body
may be stacked on other tray bodies. At block 1003, a tray body may
be aligned to the processing station. For example, the aligning
holes 127 and 129 (seen in FIG. 1) may be used to align the tray
body to the processing station. At block 1005, a substrate holder
may be pivotally aligned to a heating apparatus on the processing
station. For example, a shoulder screw 135 coupling the substrate
holder 105 to the tray body 101 (seen in FIG. 1) may allow the
substrate holder 105 to pivot and lie flat on a heat source on the
processing station. In addition, a press fit pin may hold the rest
of the tray body substantially level and aligned at the processing
station once the substrate holder has pivoted to align with the
heat source. At block 1007, a substrate coupled to the substrate
holder may be heat-treated. While the substrate coupled to the
substrate holder is heat-treated, an optical fiber coupled to the
substrate may be insulated from the substrate holder by a component
coupled to the tray body.
[0033] While the invention has been described in terms of several
embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that
the invention is not limited to the embodiments described, but can
be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and
scope of the appended claims. The description is thus to be
regarded as illustrative instead of limiting.
* * * * *